Part of the problem of being looped in with Industry and Press people are the limitations that are thrust upon you. You are, essentially, a prisoner of the system.

It is not easy to head off to the coffee bar at any point, it is difficult to surrender to the washroom after a trip to said coffee bar. Both of these steps must be taken before entering the hallowed screening grounds.

The other problem is even harder to circumnavigate. People.

These Industry/Press people are more vicious, heartless and cruel than the regular rabid festival goer. It must stem from experience.

Believe it or not, these pro's are more prone to leave their cell phones on or talk through the opening credits than any other audience I have ever encountered. And why? Because they are in the biz I guess...I can't fathom the logic myself.

Anyway, enough ranting there. I have two films on the run today, reviews of Joy Ride and Mulholland Drive coming in and hopefully another hysterical report from Melanie (see Melanie Day One here) on her comings and goings at this years festival.

I snagged Novocaine, the new Steve Martin film and Profession of Arms, both of which will have reviews shortly.

However for the quick synopsis thing:

Novocaine: A dentist (Steve Martin - who just keeps raising the bar it seems) finds himself a murder suspect after a sexy patient (Helena Bonham Carter) seduces him into prescribing her drugs. A quirky modern film noir that knows when to have a sense of macabre humor. Writer David Atkins makes his directorial debut.

The Profession of Arms (Il Mestiere delle armi): The history of the first victim of modern artillery and its moving agony, amidst conspiracies and betrayals of the powerful. Life and death of Giovanni De' Medici, a young brave captain in the war of Charles V against the Pope, in the first half of 1500. Directed and written by: Ermanno Olmi.

Tomorrow - Day 4: A real full day. The Canadian film The Frank Truth by Rick Caine. David Mamet's new film Heist and a full length DV film by Jordan Melamed called Manic which should be interesting, in theory at least.